Chelsea closing in on £35 million deal to sign Italian star

Chelsea are set to land Daniele Rugani from Juventus, as they seem to reinforce their defensive department at the behest of incoming coach Maurizio Sarri.

According to the report published by an English publication The Mirror, Chelsea are closing in on the capture of Daniele Rugani on a £35 million deal from Juventus, with Chelsea ready for a squad overhaul on the directions of incoming manager Maurizio Sarri.

Daniele Rugani is deemed to be one of the brightest defensive young prospects in the world since he debuted for the first-team of Juventus in 2013. Although, the 23-year-old’s progress has come to a standstill since returning from a two-year loan spell at boyhood club Empoli.

With Giorgio Chiellini, Andrea Barzagli and Medhi Benatia ahead of him in the pecking order, the young defender has struggled to leave upon his impression at the first team due to the scarcity of chances.

With the limited starts available to the 23-year old defender, he is reportedly set to move out to seek options outside Juventus in order to acquire regular first-team football elsewhere. Thus, Chelsea can afford to offer him regular game-time, who are interested in securing his services.

Chelsea cannot waste any more time in the transfer market, as their long absence in the summer window amid managerial negotiations and uncertainty at the club has left them with little time to achieve their targets.

With the announcement of the confirmed departure of Conte from Chelsea, Sarri is edging closer to a move to Chelsea. Hence, transfer dealings of the West-London club are set to kick in imminently ahead of the 2018-19 season.

A move for Rugani is perceived to be under the demands of incoming manager Sarri, as the Italian seeks to have a reunion with the 23-year-old defender, who he managed during his tenure at Empoli. Thus, Rugani looks likely to be Chelsea’s first summer signing, with the Blues eager to bolster their defence.

Meanwhile, In Andreas Christensen and Antonio Rudiger, Chelsea have two fantastic long-term resources at the defence. But, ahead of them, Chelsea doesn’t rely much on other options with Gary Cahill proving to be inconsistent last season, and Kurt Zouma facing ambiguity as regards his future at the club.

Furthermore, according to additional claims by Mirror, Chelsea are working to offload David Luiz from the squad who has not played since early February after falling out with Conte, as Sarri has revealed to the club that the Brazilian international doesn’t fit in his plans for next season. Thus, Chelsea definitely have an alarming need to sign a new centre-back, making Rugani a viable target.

This is Chelsea’s second attempt to obtain the services of the young defender. Juventus have reportedly rejected their initial bid but Chelsea have returned with an offer of £35 million. Moreover, they are trying to lure Rugani with double wages to the tune of £60,000-a-week five-year deal.

MILAN, ITALY – APRIL 28: Gonzalo Higuain (L) of Juventus FC celebrates his goal with his team-mate Daniele Rugani during the serie A match between FC Internazionale and Juventus at Stadio Giuseppe Meazza on April 28, 2018 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Emilio Andreoli/Getty Images)

However, convincing Juventus to sell him still remains a problem, with the Bianconeri considering the 23-year-old as their own long-term solution at the heart of the defence.

However, the shocking transfer of Cristiano Ronaldo to Juventus has cost the Turin based club a fortune, so to level the net worth, Juventus might end up selling Rugani to Chelsea. But, With three years still remaining on his contract at the Allianz Stadium, Juventus would possibly push the demand of a more hefty transfer fee, and it remains to be seen when will Juventus settle the agreement over Rugani’s move.